Father Nivard's Blog

Nativity of Our Lady

2011-09-09T09:14:00.000-07:00

Nativity of Our Lady –

Thursday (Sept8):

"She willbear a son, and you shall call him Jesus"

Scripture:Matthew 1:1-16, 18-23 (alternate reading: Luke 6:20-26)

There is a tradition of Christians celebrating the birth of Mary on this day. Herbirth prepared for our redemption in Jesus Christ. Mary was asked to assume infaith a tremendous responsibility.It had never been heard of before that a child could be born without a naturalfather. Mary was asked to accept this miraculous exception to the laws ofnature. That required faith and trust.

Second, Mary was not yet married. Mary wasonly espoused to Joseph. She was asked to assume a great risk. She could have been rejected by Joseph, by her family.Mary knew that Joseph and her family would not understand without a revelationfrom God. She believed and trusted in God's promises. Let us trust and obey theLord as did Mary.

BiddingPrayer:

Father, bring us closer to our Mother Maryand so bring us ever closer to your divine Son.

We ask this through the same Christ ourLord. http://www.dailyscripture.net/,adapted.

*****

Thereis a long venerable tradition among many Christians of celebrating the birth ofMary, the mother of Jesus our Saviour, on this day. Her birth prepared for ourredemption in Jesus Christ. Matthew begins his gospel with the geneology ofJesus from Abraham's lineage through the line of David, King of Israel. Matthewconcludes his geneology by stating that both Mary, Jesus' mother and Joseph,his foster father, came from the line of David. Mary was asked to assume infaith a burden of tremendous responsibility. It had never been heard of beforethat a child could be born without a natural father. Mary was asked to acceptthis miraculous exception to the laws of nature. That required faith and trust.Second, Mary was not yet married. Pregnancy outside of wedlock was nottolerated in those days. Mary was only espoused to Joseph, and such anengagement had to last for a whole year. She was asked to assume a great risk.She could have been rejected by Joseph, by her family, by all her own people.Mary knew that Joseph and her family would not understand without revelationfrom God. She nonetheless believed and trusted in God's promises. Joseph, ajust and God-fearing man, believed the message given to him to take Mary as hiswife and to accept the child in her womb as the promised Messiah. Like Mary,Joseph is a model of faith for us. He is a faithful witness and servant ofGod's unfolding plan of redemption. Are you willing to trust and obey the Lordas Mary and Joseph did?

Jesus speaks with authority

2011-08-29T03:23:00.000-07:00

Daily Reading & Meditation

Tuesday (August 30):

"His word was with authority"

Scripture: Luke 4:31-37

When Jesus taught he spoke with authority. He was authority incarnate. He was the Word of God made flesh. When he spoke, God spoke. When he commanded even the demons obeyed.

If demons, the fallen angels, believe in the power and authority of the Son of God, how much more should we believe in the power and authority of the gospel. We believe in the good news of Jesus Christ with the full assent of our minds and hearts. We entrust our lives to the Lord Jesus Christ?

If we approach God's word submissively, with an eagerness to do everything the Lord desires, we are in a much better position to learn what God wants to teach us through his word.

Father, your word is power and life. May we never doubt your saving love and mercy, and the power of your word to bring healing, restoration, and freedom from sin and oppression, through Christ our Lord.

http://www.dailyscripture.net/

Fw: Hidden Treasure, Rare Pearl

2011-07-27T00:26:00.001-07:00

Subject: Hidden Treasure, Rare Pearl

Daily Reading & Meditation

Wednesday (July 27):

"The heavenly treasure and the pearl of great price"

Scripture: Matthew 13:44-46

Discovering God's kingdom is like stumbling across hidden treasure or finding the one pearl of great price. When we discover the kingdom of God we receive the greatest possible treasure — the Lord himself. Selling all that we have to obtain this incomparable treasure could mean many things — our friends, job, our "style of life", what we do with our free time.

Treasure has a special connection to the heart, the place of desire and longing, the place of will and focus. The thing we most set our heart on is our highest treasure. In this parable what does the treasure of the kingdom refer to? It certainly refers to the kingdom of God in all its aspects. But in a special way, the Lord himself, is the treasure we seek.

If the Almighty is your gold and your precious silver, then you will delight yourself in the Almighty (Job 22:22-23).

Father, reveal to us the true riches of your kingdom. Help us to set our hearts on you alone as the greatest and most worth-while treasure of all. We ask this through Christ Jesus our Lord.

Free my heart of any inordinate desires or attachment to other things that I may freely give to you all that I have in joy and gratitude for all that you have given to me. May I always find joy and delight in your presence."

The Sign of Jonah

2011-03-25T04:36:00.000-07:00

1 Wednesday Lent 2011

The Sign of Jonah.

In today’s Gospel, Luke 11:29-32, Jesus says: As Jonah became a sign to the men of Nin'eveh, so will the Son of man be to this generation. We are the men of Nin’eveh and Jesus is our Jonah. Jesus came to set us free from Pslavery to sin and hurtful desires.

Through the gift of the Holy Spirit he pours his love into our hearts that we may understand his will for our lives and walk in his way of holiness. God searches our hearts, not to condemn us, but to show us where we need his saving grace and help. God will transform us if we listen to his word and allow his Holy Spirit to work in our lives. May the Lord renew our minds and increase our thirst for his wisdom.

Rich man and Lazarus

2011-03-25T04:03:00.000-07:00

2 Thursday Lent, (March 24, 2011):

"Lazarus was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom".

Gospel Reading: Luke 16:19-31.

The name Lazarus means ‘God is my help’. Despite a life of misfortune and suffering, Lazarus did not lose hope in God. His eyes were set on a treasure stored up for him in heaven.

The rich man, however, could not see beyond his material wealth and possessions. He not only had everything he needed, he selfishly spent all he had on himself. He was too absorbed in what he possessed to notice the needs of those around him. He lost sight of God and the treasure of heaven because he was preoccupied with seeking happiness in material things. He served wealth rather than God.

Sometimes we serve our work rather than the God within. In the end the rich man became a beggar! Do we know the joy and freedom of possessing God, the God within, as our true and lasting treasure? Those who put their hope and security in heaven and the God within will not be disappointed (see Hebrews 6:19)?

Lk 5:27-32 “Leave all and follow me." Lent 1st Sat.M

2011-03-11T09:20:00.000-08:00

Fri, 11 March, 2011 16:36:57

[Dom Donald's Blog] Lk 5:27-32 “leave all and follow the Lord”

...

From:	Fr Donald ... View Contact
To:	nivardmcglynn@yahoo.com

1st Saturday Lent 2011

The call of Matthew

In today’s Gospel, Luke 5:27-32, Jesus says: “I have come to call sinners”. Matthew we overjoyed to be one of the first to answer the call. He at once gave a party to celebrate the occasion.

As sinners, like, Matthew, we can make our own the prayer of St Augustine: "Lord Jesus, our Saviour, let us now come to you. Our hearts are cold; Lord, warm them with your selfless love. Our hearts are sinful; cleanse them with your precious blood. Our hearts are weak; strengthen them with your joyous Spirit. Our hearts are empty; fill them with your divine presence. Lord Jesus, our hearts are yours, possess them always and only for yourself." (Prayer of Augustine, 354-430).

What does it mean to “leave all and follow the Lord”? Bede the Venerable, a 7th century church father comments on Matthew’s conversion to discipleship: “By ‘follow’ he meant not so much the movement of feet as of the heart, the carrying out of a way of life. For one who says that he lives in Christ ought himself to walk just as he walked, not to aim at earthly things, not to pursue perishable gains, but to flee base praise, to embrace willingly the contempt of all that is worldly for the sake of heavenly glory, to do good to all, to inflict injuries upon no one in bitterness, to suffer patiently those injuries that come to oneself, to ask God’s forgiveness for those who oppress, never to seek one’s own glory but always God’s, and to uphold whatever helps one love heavenly things. This is what is meant by following Christ. In this way, disregarding earthly gains, Matthew attached himself to the band of followers of One who had no riches. For the Lord himself, who outwardly called Matthew by a word, inwardly bestowed upon him the gift of an invisible impulse so that he was able to follow.” Are you ready to forsake all for Christ?

"Lord Jesus, our Saviour, let us now come to you: Our hearts are cold; Lord, warm them with your selfless love. Our hearts are sinful; cleanse them with your precious blood. Our hearts are weak; strengthen them with your joyous Spirit. Our hearts are empty; fill them with your divine presence. Lord Jesus, our hearts are yours; possess them always and only for yourself." (Prayer of Augustine, 354-430)

--
Posted By Fr Donald to Dom Donald's Blog on 3/11/2011 04:36:00 PM

Accept my works if you cannot accept my words

2010-03-26T09:54:00.000-07:00

Jesus made two claims in his response to his enemies: He was consecrated by the Father to a special task and he was sent into the world to carry out his Father's mission. Jesus challenged his opponents to accept his works if they could not accept his words. One can argue with words, but deeds are beyond argument. Jesus is the perfect teacher in that he does not base his claims on what he says but on what he does.

Jesus shows us the way to walk the path of holiness. He anoints us with his power to live the gospel with joy.

The Father in Jesus and he in the Father

2010-03-26T09:25:00.000-07:00

John 10:31-42

Servile love acts like a domestic servant who is hired to clean out dirty jugs. A child loves a father not with a mercenary love, that is, for any advantage to be had from him. Nor does a child fear to offend a father for dread of punishment, but only for the father's goodness and love.

So it is nature and the power of love that compel a true child to love and serve a father. Nothing else deserves to be loved except in God; but to love all creatures in him and for him is to love the Father.

Jesus says that we must understand that the Father is in him and he is in the Father.

St Catherine of Siena

2010-03-24T10:03:00.000-07:00

Fr Nivard's Blog 24 March 10

Monday 15th. March 2010

MEDITATION OF THE DAY John 4:43-54.

The royal official said to him, "Sir, come down before my child dies."

We are not alone in the hour of death; we have nothing to fear in the hour of death: because when th e time comes Christ identifies himself with us so closely that fear gives way to trust and anguish to peace. He has lived all of our lives, died all of our deaths; to all of us he has given his peace. It is in the hour of death that our fear, our anxiety, our loneliness, will end ...

Death is too big a thing for anyone of us to face alone. It separates us, for a time, from those we love on earth. It is difficult for us earthbound, rooted creatures to want heaven; it is impossible for us to realize what the glory of God will be to us. It is loving God, and that only, that can make heaven, heaven. Here imagination does not help us: we cannot really imagine ourselves loving the "Supreme Spirit" - we even want to cling to our human frailties and comforts, to our human weakness.

It is now that Christ takes over. He has died all our deaths on the cross; now we are going to die his; it is Christ in us who surrenders to God. It is not with our own heart and our own will that we can long for God, but with Christ's. And Christ has given his heart and will to us. In this is the supreme mercy that comes to us in the hour of death ...

Now I love God with Christ's will, with Christ's heart, with Christ's trust; and because he has taken whole possession of me, in the hour of my death I shall at last love my friends too with his love.

Caryll Houselander (+ 1954) was a British mystic, poet, and spiritual teacher.
Magnificat Missalette

Fw: [Dom Donald's Blog] Newminster Abbey Northumberland

2009-06-09T01:38:00.001-07:00

Most interesting,

Donald, Br Aiden and I travelled south to the north of England, one hour and a half drive, in glorious weather. But there was a short shower just after the Mass as we walked back to the parish church.

Left:
Bishop S. McGuiness, Principal Celebrant, Dom Donald with the Pilgrims.
The Walk from the Church in Morpeth to the Site of Newminster could be describe as the Obstacle Pilgrimage, a long pathway including five or six kissing-gates or styles. I was amazed by the walking of one 90 year old lady with sticks among so many elders and also small children. Quite an achievemnt marking the historic event.

Right:

Within the claustal site, only covering was for the group of the Deaf School.

After returning to the St. Robert of Newminster Church of Morpeth, there was a warm welcome to the visitors to the Marque for copious refreshments.
The Church itself is a very interesting building.

There is a glorious collection of Saints in the Church, the twelve and Apostles and the statues of St. Joseph and St. Benedict. My question was to ask everyone where was St. Robert. Eventually, Fr. John Cooper, PP., lead me and two priests from Germany, to show me the treasures of his Church. Saint Robert of Newminster is rather hidden in a colured window in the side of the Apse.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

--

Easter Joy

2008-03-28T03:28:00.000-07:00

May Easter Blessings

Fill you and yours

With Peace and Love

This

Joyful Easter Time

Alleluia!!!

Easter Friday

Dear Friends,

Easter Greetings from all here at Nunraw!

Good news! On Palm Sunday I printed the last page of the master copies for the Antiphonary. Well not quite, the printer started from the last page but after some pages the ink cartridge dried up. I guess I can expect this sort of thing to happen if I work on Sunday!

Good Friday. I’m sorry for the delay in keeping you up to date. However I’ll not send this off until next week in order to give you my impressions of the Holy Week and Easter liturgy here. It is fascinating for me and you might find it interesting. On his return from Nsugbe, in January, Dom Raymond said that their liturgy was out of this world, far better than Nunraw, he modestly added. I suppose he would say the same of Bamenda? The singing here is not bad considering their fewness of numbers. Most of the monks certainly give out their voices.

Most of the community are also involved in liturgical functions. One of the priests acts as cross-bearer! Today, Donald was celebrant and took Christ’s part in the reading of the Passion, At the Prayers of Intercession, The deacon read the introductory paragraph and then the celebrant sang the prayer. This arrangement made life easier for the celebrant. The Abbot played the organ. A lay woman was narrator and a Poor Clare nun took the part of individuals. The congregation took the part of the crowd. During the reading, at certain points, the Refrain of the Good Thief was sung and repeated by All. It was very impressive. The church was packed. Fifty Guests, resident for the weekend, swelled the ranks. Only the celebrant and readers made full prostration at the ‘Eloi lama sabachthani’. The community need the cooperation of the Faithful, but it does give a great sense of solidarity and homeliness in God’s House. Hymn books etc. are provided on Sundays and Feasts. On Holy Thursday the Celebrant washed the feet of monks and a group of lay people, including men, women and children, but not priests. We were not in bare feet, fortunately, as there is still ice on the puddles! Alas! On waking up for the Easter Vigil at 10 pm I woke up with a bad cold. Thus I missed the Easter Vigil that I so much wished to attend.

I’ve been preparing the master copies for printing but, alas, I do not have the ‘Psalms and Third Nocturns for Feasts’. Nor do I have the ‘Ordinary of the Mass’. I think Br Luke sent me one or other of these, or maybe both, but neither have reached me??? If they are ready, please send me hard copy by post, also by email attachment and flash drive or floppy diskette. Only two computers here have floppy drives and neither are reliable so a flash drive is the best option. I will forge ahead hoping that the missing items will arrive in reasonable time. The Bishop’s House will know if some missionaries are going on home leave.

It is a great relief to have finished the editing and be able to follow the Paschal liturgy with a free mind. I was looking forward to attending the Paschal Vigil but when I woke up at 10.00 pm I had my first cold since my arrival so I had to stay put. The weather turned bitterly cold and we had a white Easter Sunday with plenty of snow and sleet. With renewed Good Wishes for Paschal Time and Pentecost to you and all the Brethren. With St Bernard, ‘I miss you all but you only miss one of the family’!

Yours in the love of Our Risen Lord

Br Nivard

4th April. PS. Spring time at last with a fine warm week. We have begun to reduce our winter clothing. However they are still on hand as snowy showers are expected on Sunday!

No news from Bamenda Abbey, no emails, no blogs and no web site update. I do hope your Internet is OK or soon will be. I'll also send this by snail mail to be sure. N. My Blog address: www.fathernivard.org.uk/

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + +

Feast of St John The Evangelist

2007-12-27T09:02:00.000-08:00

Introduction to the Mass. Feast of St John the Evangelist.

See, Believe, Rejoice

1 John 1: 1 - 4

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon and touched with our hands, concerning the word of life, the life was made manifest, and we saw it, and testify to it, and proclaim to you the eternal life which was with the Father and was made manifest to us that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you may have fellowship with us; and our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. And we are writing this that our joy may be complete.

And in the Gospel we see how John, who reached the tomb first, also went in. He saw and believed.

John believed because he had seen, heard and touched. But we have not seen, so John gives us his testimony of all this. Why? He did so because he wants us to have union with him and the Apostles. This union or fellowship is with the Father, with Jesus and with the Holy Spirit, the family of the Holy Trinity.

He tells us these things so that his own joy will be complete and ours also. This peace and joy is a gift from God. We must treasure it, protect. This joy is deeper than our deepest darkness. We may only know it by its fruits, like falling into a blissful, restful, sleep at the end of a trying day. It is the best antidote to the ‘After Christmas Blues’. Even our good sisters and brothers in the world are happy to escape from the boredom of Christmas parties and superficial joys. Our Guest House is over-booked for the New Year by people seeking the peace and joy that lasts. Here in the monastery this joy increases our enjoyment of the innocent joys of Christmas, music, videos and rich food, (brandy soup, gorgonzola etc.!).

This union with God includes our fellowship in God’s Kingdom, a kingdom which comprises the Church Triumphant in Heaven, the Church Suffering in Purgatory and the Church Militant on Earth. Our life here below is a warfare. The devil tempts us night and day but God’s power is greater than Satan. The key weapon against Satan is humility, especially our repentance for sin and our sinfulness.

As we begin this Holy Mass we are blessed because we are aware of our need for God’s mercy. But we also pray especially for those who stand in most need of God’s limitless mercy.

Holy Souls - waiting for our petitions

2007-11-04T09:25:00.000-08:00

All Souls, Nunraw, 01 Nov. 07

Today we have the yearly commemoration of all the Faithful Departed. Their bodies lie buried but their souls live on.

The Church Suffering is part and parcel of yesterday’s feast of All Saints, the Church Triumphant. With ourselves, the Church Militant, we all form an extended family. We need each other and can help each other. The people in heaven don’t need our prayers but we should not take it for granted and stop praying for the dead.

Offering Mass for the Holy Souls in Purgatory is the most effective way we can help them to enter heaven a little more quickly.

Many mystics, even today, are continually aware of their presence. It seems that they like to hang around us, human beings, to receive any little help we can give them, even if only to sprinkle them with holy water. At times they also help our Guardian angel to keep us out of harm’s way.

It is a holy and wholesome act to offer sacrifice for the departed but it is also useful to pray to them for our own needs, as we do to the saints.

Veneration for the ancestors is deeply embedded in most cultures. In the monastery we toll the bell when a brother dies. In Bamenda we know immediately when a neighbour dies. The drums start up and the guns go off intermittently for several days.

As we pray for our dear ones who have gone before us let us repent of our sins and so prepare for our own departure.

PS. My cousin, Liam, has introduced me to the beautiful hymn, 'They are waiting for our petitions'. It is most moving.

On Friday, for the first time, I was present at my cousin Rita's Cremation. The parish priest was waiting at the door of the small well furnished chapel plus an organ. The atmosphere was quite homely and reverent. But there was no cross or other religious symbol as it is used by people of other faiths and atheists etc. The coffin was placed on the 'stage', oriented with the feet towards a shuttered opening in the centre of the back wall. The priest said the usual prayers that are said at the graveside ending up with the 'Our Father'. We stood up to sing the 'Hail, Queen of Heaven' and as we did so the curtains moved slowly to close the coffin from our view. We forgot to look up for the puff of smoke. The ashes would be taken by the family and placed in the family grave. I am told that cremations are now more common than burials. It is not as yet common in West Africa. It was a worthwhile experience. Picture: Our Lady Queen of Purgatory.

2007-10-20T06:36:00.000-07:00

Witness for Christ

27^th Friday, Year 1 12 October 2007

In today’s Gospel Jesus tells us to rejoice that our names are written in heaven, not because we work miracles and drive out demons. He continues by saying that he who is not with him is against him. And elsewhere Jesus says, “Those who are not against us are for us”.

The martyrs are Christ’s witnesses par excellence. Yet we too are called to witness to Christ every moment of every hour.

Every Christian begins the day with the morning offering. Thereby he stands up for Jesus before the host of heaven if not before the world.

As monks, our morning offering is the Divine Office of Vigils, (of Readings), which we begin at 3.30 a.m.

When I was a junior at Mt St Bernard Abbey, Abbot Finbar of Mt Mellery, visited us every year. He once told us the story of an elderly monk. He told the monk it was time he stopped attending Vigils. So he should stay in bed. Low and behold, next morning, the good man appeared in choir. Later in the day he asked him why he came to Vigils. He replied, “Oh yes, Rev Father, I stayed in bed but I couldn’t sleep. So I went to choir and I had a grand sleep. He preferred to sit in those uncomfortable choir stalls rather than remain in his warm bed.

Abbot Charles enjoyed attending our Vigils here in Nunraw. During his five years at the Generalate in Rome, the thing he missed most was not having Vigils in choir.

I think most of us have similar feelings about attending Vigils however difficult it may be to rise from bed on a cold morning.

It is our joy to rise and stand up for Christ. “They also serve who only stand and wait”, (Milton?).

Sts John Brebeuf, Issac Jogues & Companions, Martyrs

2007-10-19T08:49:00.000-07:00

28^th Friday of the Year. 2007-10-19

Sts John Brebeuf, SJ, Isaac Jogues, SJ and Companions

In the Gospel Jesus tells us of our heavenly Father’s love and care for each one of us. “The hairs of your head have been counted. Are you not worth more than hundreds of sparrows?”.

Some years ago we listened to the Life of St Isaac Jogues being read in the refectory in Bamenda. We were astonished at the many similarities between the American Indian culture and that of the African culture.

African culture today is predominantly Western. However the traditional culture is still very strong, both the good points and the not so good. Tribal warfare is still going on even between Christian tribes.

St Thérèse also knew the life of St Isaac, the Jesuit missionary and martyr in North America. She had a great devotion to him and had a picture of him in her cell. So when she wanted to join in the Carmelite foundation in Vietnam she did so with her eyes wide open to the hazards of missionary life. Providence ordained that she remain at home and suffer the terrible dark night of the soul. This is an experience that we all have whether we are missionary or contemplative. As we all know she is now co-patron of the missions with St Francis Xaviour.

Our mother used to attend the Carmelite Church in Dublin and had a great devotion to St Thérèse. I suspect this had a lot to do with our missionary vocations.

I thought I had sacrificed my missionary vocation when I entered Mt St Bernard. But when I arrived there and saw two African priest oblates I had a premonition that I might end up on the missions after all. I had been slated for South Africa where I would have met my aunt, a Sister of Mercy.

You might say I have enjoyed the best of both worlds.

Truly the story of St John, St Isaac and companions is most inspiring. The same is true of St Brendan, the Irish navigator monk, whose name I took at baptism. He discovered America six centuries before Columbus. St Isaac followed in Brendan’s footsteps but went much further inland.

All for the Glory of God.

Installation news and pictures

2007-08-08T09:27:00.000-07:00

NEW ABBOT FOR THE CISTERCIAN ABBEY MBENGWI

On Tuesday the 6^th of August 2007, Dom Charles Arde-Erzoa Amihere was elected as the new Abbot of the Cistercian Abbey Mbengwi. He takes over from Dom Jude Tah Forcham who ended a six year term of office on the same day. The elections were conducted by Dom Joseph Delargy, Abbot of Mount Saint Bernard Abbey Leicester England, assisted by Mother Margaret, Abbess emeritus of St Justina's Monastery Abaikiliki in Nigeria.

The Installation of Dom Charles took place on the same day in the Chapter Room of the Monastery.

In installing Dom Charles Dom Joseph congratulated the community for its maturity in electing an African Abbot in place of another African. This he said, was a sign of the progress the monastic life is making in Africa. He also congratulated Dom Jude for what he has done to the Abbey in the past six years. He said the successful election of a new Abbot was the sign of a successful Abbacy of Dom Jude. He finally congratulated Dom Charles for his election and called on the community to give him the necessary support to govern well. The new Abbot then made the profession of faith, pledging to follow the mind of the church in the administration of the Monastery. He was then given a pectoral cross, the keys and seals of the Monastery, to take up command of the affairs of the Monastery. Then he took the Abbatial Chair in Chapter and all the professed monks of the Monastery in order of seniority came up and knelt before him and pledged obedience. The documents of the installation were then signed and the community moved to church where Dom Charles took the Abbatial stall and the Te Deum was sung to praise God for the success of the election. The Abbatial blessing to be done by the Archbishop of Bamenda will be done later.

Dom Charles was born on 17^th April 1950 in Ghana. He did his secondary and high school education in Ghana between 1966-1973 when he proceeded to St Peter's Regional Major Seminary at Pedu, Cape-Coast Ghana where he did philosophy and 2 years of theology. In 1976 he came into contact with monks on a visit to Togo and desired being one himself. Since there were no monasteries in Ghana, he applied and was accepted to join Newark Abbey in Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.A. When he was preparing to travel to the U.S. he met a Ghanaian priest who was starting a monastic project in Ghana. Br Charles joined the new diocesan monastic foundation in 1978. In1979 he was sent to Bamenda for monastic formation to return home to Ghana to help in establishing their own Monastery. In 1981, he made first profession and went back to Ghana in 1984. The monastic project in Ghana was not successful and so in 1988, Br Charles decided to return to Cameroon to join the Cistercian Monastery in Mbengwi. He had to start afresh the monastic journey he began 10 years earlier with another canonical novitiate in September 1988. After the second novitiate, he took his temporary vows in October 1989 and final vows in February 1993, and was ordained priest in 2001 by Archbishop Paul Verdzekov.

In 1996, Dom Charles was appointed Assistant Novice Master and subsequently went for a course at the Catholic University of Angers in France in 1997. On his return from studies, he was appointed Superior Ad nutum of the Cistercian Monastery at Koutaba. In 1999 he returned to Bamenda to assume the same responsibility, a position he held until 2001. At the Cistercian Order's General Chapter of 2002 he was elected Councilor at the Abbot General's Council in Rome where he was till his election on the 6^th of August as Abbot of the Cistercian Monastery Mbengwi.

We ask you to keep him and the community in your prayers.

Br Luke-Kingsley Ake

2007-08-03T06:27:00.000-07:00

Hi friends,

In June my family, only five of us, had a mini family reunion. Three of my five sisters spent two weeks in the Guest House, here in Nunraw, where my brother Donald is Guest Master. They arrived a few days after the failed terrorist attack on Glasgow Airport. All airports were on high security alert. Hence Noreen and Josephine were delayed at Dublin Airport for about three hours, one of them sitting in the plane, before they obtained the 'All clear' from Edinburgh. Before this Patricia arrived from Aberdeen also one hour late because she got the wrong coach. By then it was too late to have supper at Nunraw so we had our first meal together at a quiet resturant just outside Edinburgh. As we chatted we enjoyed the drive through the beautiful Lothian countryside, aglow with the warm evening sun.. Our absent sisters were Mary who teaches English to the young Sisters in South Korea, and Christina who does parish work with the Aboriginese in Australia.

5th July: The five of us set off for Carfin, Scotland's National Shrine to Our Lady. It is not far from Glasgow on the Edinburgh road.It has been transformed into a very wonderful shrine. Our mother often visited it with members of the family. The cost of enhancement was shared by church and private contributions, Irish, Polish, Ukrainian etc., as well as from government developement agencies.

The Blessed Sacrament Chapel is built almost entirely of glass, very beautiful and most prayerful. The Chapel is dedicated to Our Lady, Maid of the Sea. This title is the name of the passenger aircraft that crashed, near Locherbie not far from Carfin, due to a terrorist bomb. A list of the victims, (R.I.P.), hangs on the wall.

By way of exception, since it is only open on Sundays, we were allowed to view the fantastic display of relics in the Relics Museum.

In the afternoon we visited Donald's friends at Wellwood, not far from here. Beatrice (in the photo) and her sister, Claude, from Oregon, USA. Originally they came from a large family in Belgium. Coming from Cameroon they were disappointed that I did not speak French. We enjoyed a nice afternoon tea together complete with Belgian cookies. Beatrice, now an eighty-year old widow, is still full of energy in spite of two strokes and is rather deaf. She is a member of the landed gentry and has a large estate/farm. She drives herself here to Mass every Sunday. Her husband used to accompany her though he remained an Anglican.

My very pleasant surprise was to meet up with Claude. When she said she was from Oregon I could scarcely believe my ears. I was even more surprised when she said that the 'Oregon Grape', ornamental and herbal shrub, grows in her garden. The scientific name is 'Mahonia Aquifolium'. The bark of the root is used to make ointment for skin disorders. It is most effective for psoriasis. When I looked up the Internet for the seeds it said that they were out of stock. More surprisingly still I discovered that Beatrice had it growing in her garden and estate, all ready for harvesting. So I now have a supply of the seeds. I had to be quick because the birds love the grapes. The shrub will be a useful addition to our herb garden. We run a small Herbal Clinic in Bamenda, Cameroon, where many people suffer from psoriasis. There are no specific drugs for psoriasis in West Africa. The preparations, ointment and tablets etc., are only available on the Internet. Even if you have a credit card it is not easy to import any item due to risk of theft and high customs duty.

11th: Our cousin, Brian Sweeney and his wife, Kathy. were with us for lunch and afternoon tea. He had polio as a small boy.They are always most inspiring in the way he copes with his disability with the help of Kathy. They are a perfect, loving team. He is now a qualified Consulant for the disabled and gives lectures at the University and Medical schools. He is a living example of what he preaches. He is a great advocate for the rights of the disabled. He is a great entertainer. He arrived in his big Mercedes custom built car. I think he got it at a special rate. The fittings and gadgets were supplied free of charge. He drives up to the car in his power driven wheel-chair. Using his handset he opens a door and a platform drops to the ground. He reverses into it, the platform rises and he enters the cabin, wheels round and hops into the driver's seat. Coming out of the car the procedure is reversed. He does most of the driving himself though Kathy drives from time to time.

What a missionary Columban!

2007-06-26T06:29:00.000-07:00

In January, my second sister, Mary, a Franciscan Missionary of Mary, was assigned to S Korea to teach the local novices English. She received a warm welcome from the Columban Fathers, Irish. After wining and dining they promised to put her in contact with our distant cousin, Fr Patrick James McGlinchey. He became famous as a young missionary when he brought bicycles to Korea to make spinning wheels for his parishioners. The following is an account of Mary's first meeting with him.

"Had a lovely visit to Jeju Island and Fr. P.J.s miission there. He is a tall, fine looking man with very fair skin and stands very straight for a 79 year-old. (He reminded me a little of Donald.) And what a Missionary he is. For his first 25 years at Hallim he built up the Parish including a Church which a few years ago was demolished to make way for a large new Church. The bell-tower of the old Church has been preserved as a memorial.

The Jeju Island Mission

After 25 years there He bought a mountain on Jeju Island which was going cheap as they say. There were stones and rocks everywhere but comparing it with some of Donegal's hills and mountains he saw some possibilities and went on from there. He started off with pig farms and had to pipe water from 15 miles away which cheered up all the poor farmers from the pipeline along the way as they helped themselves from the pipeline.

I won't go into details but today there are good roads leading to the mountain mission where there are some lovely green fields with crops growing mostly for silage. There is a herd of 900beef cattle another of 400 dairy cattle and a herd of 200+ horses. P.J. brought me on a grand tour in his car because it was raining.

There is a convent of 26 Poor Clare nuns, and three other women Congregations, including Salesians who look after the Youth Centre, , a local group for the Resedential Home for the Elderly. They are full at the moment with 75 residents ( all poor) who do not pay any money. and another group of local Sisters for the Hospice for the dying . This latter was officially opened the week before I visited. ( By local I mean Korean Sisters not Jeju Island as such. The Govt pays the salaries for the Staff and paid 80% of the expenses for the building ( which is spacious and modern. The Govt. however, gave nothing towards the building of the Hospice, nor does it contribute to salaries for the Staff.

So P.J. had to find donors. One of these is the owner of teh famous Cooper Stables in Ireland. His name begins with Ma -- but I can't remember the full name and he is a famous horse trainer.. He wrote him a letter asking if he could lend him a thorough racehorse for breeding purposes as he wished to upgrade his horse farm and get good prices in the sale of his horses. The money raised was to fund this Hospice for the dying ( which again is free of charge). Your man contacted the Irish ambassadior in Seoul to ask him to find out if P.J. Mc Glinchey was authentic. As it happens P.J. and the ambassador are good friends so he wasted no time in recommending P.J.'s cause for funding. A few weeks later he received a letter from Ireland and Mr. Ma-- said " I am not lending you a horse, I am giving you one and I will send him out to you, all expenses paid. And so a few weeks later "Yahoudi" arrived and the first batch of foals were born the day after I arrived and beautiful, they are!. The horse trainer, a New Zealander, was ecstatic.( We actually passed the field where the expectant mares were grazing on the day I arrived.

There is also a retreat house that can take in 240 retreatants at one time and schools and Parishes from all over Korea send people all year round usually for a 4-day stay. Some combine retreat and sight-seeing as the Island has become a famous holiday resort for S. East Asia and not only Korea. The Church holds about 3000 and there is a Piazza on the top which can also hold a few thousand people. O dear I could go on but I think I will tell you rather than continue here. It is already 9:pm and actually s. Angela is setting up he new Vista laptop right next to me here in the office! with the help of our mrdia expert! It's a small world.

Thank God I am keeping well and of course busy."

I'm afraid he put some of us to shame!

Our Cistercian Sisters are doing well there

Genesee Abbey, New York, is sponsoring a diocesan monastery which follows our life style.

INTRODUCTION

2007-06-25T12:55:00.000-07:00

Hi friends,

After almost one week in Bonny Scotland I'm still very glad to be back for a few months though I keep thinking I'm at the North Pole. Cameroon is almost on the Equator and pretty hot. Fortunately for me, the Bamenda highlands, 9,000 ft, are relatively cool. Our monastery, 20 km from Bamenda Town, (it is almost a city), is 4,200 ft above sea level. This is about the same as the top of Ben Nevis. This can be seen from Nunraw Abbey, Haddington, my brother, Donald's monastery where I am staying. I pray the weather will soon allow me a glimpse of the top of the British Isles.

We do not have regular leave but I come home from time to time for special reasons, work on liturgical books, family reunion and health etc., all through the generosity of Nunraw Abbey.

I was born in Glasgow of Irish parents. We holidayed in Donegal every year until the family grew too large. When I was 2 years old we were at the Eucharistic Congress in Dublin, 1932, (I'm not giving away my age), so I heard John McCormack sing Ave Verum and have been in love with music every since. Ireland is celebrating the 75th Anniversary of this Congress at the moment.

This is my first attempt at blogging so look out for more to come.

Your fellow blogger

William Brendan Nivard McGlynn

wbn for short